Smaller Better Quicker

Ben Franklin Press is a general commercial printer with customers that include a university and various major and minor league sports teams. The company sold a half-size press when it bought new presses, then lived to regret it.

“We added the two 40-inchers [a Mitsubishi 4-color and a Komori 5-color] and traded in a half-size press, thinking we would not miss it,” says Ron Clark, president of the Tempe, AZ firm. “Almost immediately we realized we still needed a half-size press.”

So Clark installed a 23×29´´ Ryobi 755 with coater last July. “A lot of our long-run customers have short-run jobs, and we want to serve their needs,” he says. “The new Ryobi 755 comes down very quickly to a smaller sheet—we can run an 8½×11´´ sheet with absolutely no problem.” (See related story on p.40.)

“If our 40´´ presses are really busy and we have a large job, we might run the job four-up on the 23×29´´ instead of eight-up on the 40-inch,” says Clark. “Even though it may be a longer press run, we get the customer’s job out on time and everybody is happy.” He says an older 14×20´´ GTO is soon to be replaced by a 4-color Ryobi 520 14×20´´.

For many printers, smaller format and six-up presses fill the bill in today’s business environment. The IPEX show (April 4-11, Birmingham, England) will showcase number of significant introductions, including ones by Komori and MAN Roland, attesting to the vibrancy of development in this segment. Heidelberg will show a Speedmaster 52 in a 10-color perfector format. Mitsubishi says it expects to announce new entries in the less-than-full-format segment by early summer.

Those buying new equipment in the two-up format (two 8½×11´´ products per sheet) with maximum print areas of approximately 14×20´´ are likely to be smaller shops moving up to four-color printing for the first time.

These formats also form the market space for DI presses in the two-up (Heidelberg, Kodak, Presstek, Screen, xpedx) and six-up (KBA Karat) sizes, which were covered in GAM’s January issue. (In early March, Heidelberg discontinued production of its Quickmaster DI 46-4 Pro and Speedmaster 74 DI series.)

Printing companies purchasing presses in the half-size four-up (approximately 20×26´´ maximum print area) and three-quarter-size six-up (approximately 23×29´´ print area) formats tend to be medium and large-size printers. They are usually shops that want to run larger products while avoiding the expense of a full-sized press. Other firms may already own 40´´ presses but want to free up that equipment for other work while economically meeting customer requirements for short-run, fast-turnaround jobs.

Over the past year, many of the major press manufacturers who compete in the less-than-full-format press categories have introduced new models and expanded existing lines. Automation advances are permitting makreadies in less than 10 minutes and autoplate loading in under 60-seconds per unit. So, smaller offsets are challenging recent inroads by digital printers for short-run work.

Akiyama now offers its single-pass unitized perfector presses, the Jprint 26 in 18×26´´ format and Jprint 29 in 20×29´´ format with X-Rite closed-loop color controls in addition to full automation.

Hamada’s new computer-controlled Mark II 14×20´´ 2-, 4- and 5-color press features a vacuum register board, aqueous coater and extended delivery. A new Ultrasonic Double Detector is said to read even dark or heavy board stock more accurately than conventional electronic detectors. A stream feeder that can be changed over to single-sheet feed with the flip of a switch holds benefits for runs of small cards or envelopes. The automated press will accept a .016´´ sheet thickness. Combined with CTP and CIP3, it reportedly makes ready in 10 minutes, including getting up to color.

During 2005, Heidelberg added new press configurations to its 14×20´´ Speedmaster 52 product line. The SM 52-8 configuration was introduced to the U.S. market at Print 05 with a new press speed of 15,000 sph. Another new configuration is the SM 52-5+LD UV, capable of printing, curing, coating, inline finishing (diecutting and embossing) and end-of-press curing all in one pass. At IPEX, a 4-color SM 52 will be shown for the first time with the new Anicolor zoneless short inking unit. This technology will be commercially available in early 2007.

The SM 52 line also benefits from new finishing options, handling an extended range of stocks and a new coating system. An inline finishing option allows for creasing, perforating, slitting and kiss-cutting, augmented with an optional vacuum waste-removal device that cleans out cut-outs prior to delivery. In addition, it’s available with either a two-roller coater or the chambered doctor blade coating system.

KBA’s newest entrants in the 20×29´´ format are the Performa 74 and Rapida 74G. The former offers speeds up to 13,000 sph with a useful range of options. It is positioned as an entry-level press to the KBA line of equipment for price-conscious smaller printers moving up to a larger press.

The proven Rapida 74 is the base for the new Rapida 74G, equipped with the Gravuflow keyless inker (just two big rollers in the train) and waterless offset. The 15,000-sph press is currently sold in Europe but will soon be available in the U.S.

In the 14×20´´ class of presses, KBA is now offering a UV-coating version of its compact, 5-color, central-impression-cylinder Genius 52. It can be run by one operator, and incorporates the Gravuflow keyless inking system and waterless offset. The Genius 52 is designed to go rapidly from good copies on one job to the next with low start-up waste.

KBA notes the Genius 52 in its UV version is gaining a reputation as a “plastics press” for its efficiency in printing on high value/high profit substrates for credit cards and lenticulars.

Komori will launch two new smaller-format multicolor presses, the Lithrone S26/29 and perfector versions in conjunction with the IPEX print show. Komori will also show a 5-unit 29´´ SPICA convertible perfector.

Komori positions the new Lithrone series as incorporating the highest level of automation the firm has ever offered to the half-sized market. Key features of the LS26/29 Series include: a standard fully automatic plate-changing system, with no bend required to mount the plate; automatic blanket washing; high-speed pre-inking; 12,000 sph start-up speed; fast job changeover; skeleton transfer cylinders for maximum flexibility on a range of stocks; reduced energy and materials consumption; and air guide sheet transfer to reduce risk of marking and scuffing at high ink coverage levels. An inline “stub” coating unit with extended delivery sends product to delivery ready for finishing.

Komori’s new 29´´ versions of the Lithrone presses are successors to the Lithrone 28 series, offering a higher printing speed, 16,000 sph compared to 15,000 sph, and a 50% reduction in makeready times.

The new Lithrone presses have been designed to handle both single-sided multicolor and double-sided work. The perfecting mechanism of three double-size transport cylinders stabilizes sheet transfer and handles thick substrates with reduced bend.

During a pre-IPEX tour of its highly automated Tsukuba plant, where the new S26/S29 Lithrones are built, Komori demonstrated the rapid changeover on the new LS29. Early users report that run time for a 200-sheet four-color job is shaved from approximately 11½ minutes on an LS28 to just six minutes on the new LS29. A speedier autoplate saves more than a minute of that. Komori also reports that worldwide demand for perfectors is increasing, with 50% of all sheetfed presses now delivered with two-sided capability.

MAN Roland will debut its new 500 23×29´´ with InlinePerfector at IPEX. It is the only perfector in its class with a single-drum turning system combined with double-diameter cylinders.

The design results in fewer transfer points. It also uses a seven o’clock geometry, so the sheet is fully printed before being transferred to the next unit, reducing the possibility of streaking. The arrangement permits handling of up to 24-pt. substrates and delivers a top perfecting speed of 15,000 double-sided sheets per hour. The 500 can run a range of plastics and synthetics, making it suitable for credit, debit and gift cards. (See related story on p.38.)

The 500 with InlinePerfector is available in nine basic configurations, ranging from a 1-over-1 2-color model to a 5-over-5 10-color perfector. Single- and double-coating units also are available, as are extended deliveries and fully integrated IR and UV drying systems.

The perfector is available with MAN Roland’s printnet press operating, networking and automation system.

Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses maintains its current lines of 15,000-sph Diamond 1000 20×28´´ and 16,000-sph Diamond 2000 23×29´´ presses, while forecasting new developments coming in the May-June time period.

MLP Diamond 1000 presses feature removable ink tray systems that can be easily lifted out for faster makeready and rapid ink changes, especially when not running 4-color process jobs. A specialized Diamond 1000 LC is available for carton production.

Sakurai’s new 16,000-sph 466SD in 20×26´´ size is equipped with full automation as standard: blanket and ink roller washers, plate changers, feeder and delivery size pre-sets, and complete console control. The 466SDP is the 15,000-sph perfecting version of the new press.

Sakurai sees the press as a good fit for printers moving up from the 14×20´´ world and entering the four-up format size. It is also seen as a size that in-plant printers will grow into as digital presses become too expensive on run lengths beyond 500 sheets.

The 466SD offers two sheet sizes—20×26´´ and 23×30´´—built on the same sheet flow concept and automated features.

The 23×29´´ xpedx/Ryobi 750 series of presses has been expanded to include the 4-color 754, the 5-color 755 and the 6-color 756. All three presses have a version with a perfector. The newly expanded line of 15,000-sph presses is designed to produce everything from flyers and brochures to high-end posters, books and package printing. The 750 series is described by xpedx/Ryobi as offering advanced automation, a digital quality control system and CIP4 JDF-prepress compatibility.

The Ryobi 750 series also features flexibility with up to 10 colors and varnish coatings, compatibility with paper stocks from lightweight to card and board grades, aqueous or UV coating units, specialized curing and infrared dryers, and a fully automatic convertible perfecting device.

The new presses are being purchased by printers to expand color capability, supplement existing 40´´ presses, gain efficiency, handle short runs, speed up job turnarounds, fight foreign competition and add product versatility.

Last fall Rob Egan, owner of Impressive Printing, Carlstadt, NJ, committed to move up from two-color printing on an existing 11×17´´ Hamada 234A press. He purchased a new 4-color 14×20´´ Hamada Mark II B452A that had been on display at Print 05. His press, which features long delivery, vacuum feed belts and ultrasonic double sheet detection, was the first to be installed in the U.S.

“After 16 years in business, it was time to go to four-color,” says Egan. “It was a logical progression.”

Four-color work that had been run on the 2-color press will now be run on the new Mark II. Egan calculates that revenue from monthly four-color publications he had been running on his 2-color press will cover a significant share of the cost of the new Hamada.

“With four hours on this press, you can bill out a lot more money than on a 2-color,” Egan says.

Impressive Printing prints postcards, 4-over-4 flyers, brochures and four-color business cards, including photo cards for real estate agents. Although Egan considers the new Hamada press to be profitable on runs as short as 250 four-color process sheets, it has also produced runs of 10,000 four-color, 8½×11´´ products and has even printed 10,000 copies of a 40-page 4-over-4 book. A recent job was a run of 25,000, 4-over-4, 80-lb. coated text menus.

With the new press installed in October, Impressive Printing’s annual sales jumped nearly 50% to $750,000, with most of the increase in November and December.

O’Neil Printing, Phoenix, AZ, recently purchased a new 6-color, 14×20´´ Heidelberg SM52 with perfecting and aqueous coating system to replace an older GTO 52. Like the old GTO, it supplements the company’s existing 40´´ Heidelberg presses, but with new press automation, speed, efficiency and quality.

“We could not live without it and still be able to deliver a cost-effective product for our customers because not every product fits the 40´´ format,” said Dean Toth, VP production for O’Neil. “We are taking jobs now for the SM 52 that we used to run on our 40-inch. With the speed and ink capabilities of this press, we do not hesitate to do that.”

American Printing Co., Madison, WI, bought a new 28´´ Mitsubishi Diamond 1000LS press with six printing units and an aqueous tower coater to supplement its existing 8-color 40´´ press. The Diamond 1000LS replaced two older 25½´´ presses—a 5-color MOF and a 6-color MOS—acquired before 1990.

“We felt it was time to upgrade to newer technology and faster running speeds,” says Shawn Welch, VP operations. “The Diamond 1000LS press is at least twice as fast as the presses it replaced.

“The 40´´ press had been running 24 hours a day, five to six days a week,” notes Welch. “We estimate that the Diamond 1000LS will take a third of the pressure off the 40´´ press and free up time on the press for other projects.”

For many buyers of four-up and six-up presses, the primary motivation is to deliver the short runs and fast turnarounds their customers require.

Essence Printing, a commercial shop in South San Francisco, CA, serves real estate, mortgage lending, biotech and retail customers. The company recently installed a Komori 6-color, 20×28´´ Lithrone 28 with coater.

“Today’s print market requires a very narrow window for turnaround,” says Terry Crescenti, GM at Essence. “Our customers need to present a high-end image in an extremely competitive, volatile market. The installation of the Komori Lithrone 28 made it possible for us to meet our goal of doing 24 hours of work in 12 hours.”

Pacific Graphics Int’l., City of Industry, CA, recently added a 6-unit Mitsubishi Diamond 1000S 28´´ press with a coater unit, supplementing two existing MLP 40´´ presses, including a 6-color 3F-13.

“One of the main reasons we went with the 28´´ Mitsubishi press is quick job turnaround,” says Bill Wasson, production manager. “Most of our sheetfed work is in the 40´´ size, and we needed a 28´´ press that is competitive for shorter runs. The makereadies and running speed on the press are very fast. It’s extremely efficient for smaller projects.”

Dana Mueller, owner of Designer Graphics, Tyler, TX, started his business as a screen printer, making political signs for state, local and national clients. He went into commercial offset because many screen customers also needed printed materials.

Mueller recently installed a 23×29´´ Ryobi 755 press with UV capabilities. In combination with an existing Ryobi DI press, it allows him to easily meet aggressive production needs, quickly shifting from short gang runs to million-impression projects.

“The 755 with UV can have the job done before larger competing shops are in register,” says Mueller. “We can be at color in 50 sheets, we’re in register shortly after the press is up and running, and the job is printed quickly. The color is accurate, the project is dry, and it goes straight to quality-control, then to the cutter, the folder and out the door.

“I wanted UV because I wanted to be able to turn jobs in a day,” he notes.

For Worzalla, Stevens Point, WI, fast job turnaround is seen as a key to survival. An order for the first 23×29´´ Roland 500 perfector in North America is an essential element in the company’s strategy to meet offshore competition in the book printing market.

The company realized that the only way it could compete with low-priced, but long-lead-time Chinese printers was to give its customers shorter schedules to get their books to market faster.

The new press will comprise five printing units for 4-over-1 perfecting or straight five-color jobs and a UV-capable double-coating unit. When it arrives next month, the Roland 500 will replace two existing 40´´ 6-color perfectors that have been running book covers and jackets for many years.

Product versatility is also an important consideration for many companies shopping for new smaller format and six-up presses.

“I bought the press in 23×29´´ format because I print a lot of postcards and a lot of trifolds, and it gives me the ability to up my production by nearly 30% for very little difference in money,” says Mueller of Designer Graphics. “We gang-print a lot of postcards and business cards. Because it’s so automatic and everything works so smoothly, I can often compete with a 40´´ press.

“As we get more big runs, we have our DI press running postcards while the 755 is running longer runs of larger products such as flyers and brochures,” says Mueller. “They complement each other very well.”

At Ben Franklin Press, products printed on smaller-format 14×20´´ equipment include letterheads and business cards run as a convenience for larger customers who do not want to deal with multiple printing suppliers.

“We run a lot of 500- and 1,000-run flyers and brochures for a university and for sports teams, including promotional ticket offers and even four-color envelopes,” says president Ron Clark. “Using the 23×29´´ press, we can also run the flyers more than one-up for longer 2,000 to 3,000 runs.”

Worzalla anticipates the Roland 500 with UV capability also will enable it to save money and time by coating products in-house. “We had been farming out almost half a million dollars of work annually to be UV coated, and adding five or six days to our schedule,” says Chuck Nason, president and CEO. The perfector will also print four-color on the top sides of covers and a single color inside.

“On our typical book jackets and covers, this press will fit virtually anything we have to do whether we are running two-, three- or six-up,” says Nason. “Whatever we need, we will be covered.”